MLB Playoffs 2024: Aaron Judge, Yankees offense looks sluggish in ALDS Game 2 loss to Royals

NEW YORK — This loss to the Yankees doesn't rest on Aaron Judge's impossibly broad shoulders.

In a way, none of them really do.

Judge, the all-world, homer-clubbing captain of this grand franchise, really doesn't deserve to be the scapegoat for a single defeat. The Yankees are where they are and can go where they hope to go in large part because Judge is a generational force. Blaming the golden goose seems a bit ungrateful, misguided.

But fair or not, Judge's underperformance in the playoffs — which continued into Monday's disappointing 4-2 loss to the Royals in Game 2 of the ALDS — calls for a narrative that is both lazy and inevitable. A 1-for-7 showing so far this fall has pushed the Jazz's career postseason line to a disappointing (by his massive standards) .208/.311/.449 over 46 games. He now owns the single highest strikeout rate — 34.3% — in playoff history

Doubts about Judge's ability to light up the biggest stage are growing from whispers to questions, as silly as it may be.

“I mean, baseball — it hurts. Got a base hit and a walk in one game,” Yankees captain Aaron Boone said of Judge in his postgame press conference. “I understand, but it's hard to hurt. You won't hold him down for long.”

Questions, for both Boone and Judge, come with the gig. It is a part of it. They understand this reality. Judge sent Yankee Stadium into a frenzy numerous times during his spring and summer. He has made history time and again. However, the presumptive AL MVP has yet to deliver a trademark postseason moment or a World Series trophy. Until he does, the wonders will continue.

Boone and the judge also know that the judge is only human, as Boone has a depressed and stoic tone during the press conference. A few more Yankees bats caught fire on Monday. Juan Soto and Gleyber Torres went hitless. Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s garbage time homer in the ninth was the team's only extra-base knock of the evening. Starting pitcher Carlos Rodon recorded just 11 strikeouts.

Judge didn't doom the Bombers with a forgettable 1-for-3 walk.

“He got on base three times in the first two games,” Boone said. “It's not that simple. It's baseball. Injury is a failure game. He will get more opportunities, and I will continue to put my bets on him.”

The Yankees delivered a sleeper performance on Monday, though it got off to a shaky start.

Rawdon opened proceedings with an electric first inning that got the crowd excited and engaged. He started with a strikeout of Michael Franco, freezing the Kansas City third baseman on a knee-high hitter. An energized Rodon roared from the mound as Franco made his way back to the dugout.

Out No. 2 came on a high fastball, a rocket-fueled four-seamer past star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. The Yankees starter, jostled by the pinstripe faithful, shook his head, then appeared to mutter, “Oh, let's go. Go, boys.” An inning-ending punchout from Vinny Pasquantino, this one on a hideous slider, a tongue wag and wide eyes from the flame-throwing starter.

Rawdon kept the Royals at bay in the second and third, and the Yankees pushed across a run in the bottom of that frame, but Ross was shut out in a disastrous fourth inning. The Yankees lefty fell behind first hitter Salvador Perez after the All-Star backstop bounced a pair of sliders. The next breaking ball, a dull spinner, finds the strike zone. Unfortunately for Rodon, it also found the barrel of Perez's bat and — 5.4 seconds later — the left-field seats.

“Trust the pitch and go on the attack. I wish I had that mentality,” explained the embarrassed starter after the game. “Of course, I want to be better than that.”

Perez, rounding the bases, flaps his arms like a bird in flight. That long ball was Rodon's fourth career home run, and it pushed his career OPS over 1.500 against the southpaw. Black-eyed Knife pursed his lips, shaking his head in frustration.

His night was about to get worse.

Three more hits and two more runs later, Rodon was out of the ballgame. He recorded 11 total strikeouts in his first playoff start in pinstripes. Kansas City exited the frame with a 4-1 lead. From there New York threatened but could not break through. The score didn't go up until Chisholm went yards to start the ninth.

That upper-deck shot from the Bahamian brought some hope back into the home crowd's imagination, trimming the lead to two. Surprise first baseman John Bertie singled to Royals closer Lukas Erceg with two outs. That sent in Gleyber Torres as the tying run, but the Yankees' second baseman threatened and rolled out to end the game.

A symphony of groans rose above the first notes of Sinatra's “New York, New York” as the Kansas City players shook hands.

The series now shifts to Kauffman Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday. This will be the Royals' first home playoff game since the 2015 World Series. The Kansas City skyline will provide a warm comfort to this road-weary Royals team, who haven't set foot in the Fountain City since Sept. 22.

The Yankees, on the other hand, have been sleeping in their own beds since the same date. After Monday's game, Judge and his teammates packed equipment in navy duffels. They hit the road for the first time in over two weeks now.

With their loss on Monday, a trip back to the Bronx is no longer guaranteed. In October, bets come to you fast.